Protestors demand safer work sites

Thousands of construction workers brought Melbourne streets to a stand-still in an angry protest against Grocon's lax safety standards.

Transcript

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EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: Thousands of construction workers brought Melbourne's streets to a standstill today in an angry protest against the company Grocon. Workers say four people have died as a result of the building giant's lax safety standards including three people who were killed when a brick wall collapsed on them in March. The Victorian Government says the construction union is politicising the deaths in a bid to bring the building industry to its knees.

DENIS NAPTHINE, VICTORIAN PREMIER: It is absolutely disgusting, totally unacceptable and it's an insult to the people who have lost their lives.

JOHN SETKA, CFMEU VICTORIA SECRETARY: We haven't done anything wrong, right. People weren't killed at this union office. Four people have been killed on Grocon sites, sites controlled by Grocon.

EMMA ALBERICI: The protestors held a minute's silence to mark the fatalities before marching to the offices of Victoria's safety regulator Work Safe to demand action. In a statement Grocon said the rally was an effort by the unions to take over their work sites.